Valentine's Day (Or, Concerning Oolong and Pfeffernüsse)
by APizzaInTime
Summary: It had been so long since she had heard those words – ten years, at least. The thought didn't even cross her mind until just now. Was it February already? How many Valentine's Days had she missed? Anahardt.


Title: Valentine's Day (Or, Concerning Oolong and Pfeffernüsse)

Hey guys, I have been having a lot of feelings about Overwatch's resident grandma and grandpa, so I had to write. Here's something cute. I'm actually thinking of turning this into more stories, so read it and let me know what you think/yell at me because I'm a big dumb hopeless romantic. :) Either or.

* * *

"There, perfect."

Ana Amari raised her rifle to take a better look at it. The metal glittered brilliantly in the light, tarnished only by the notches she'd put in the weapon.

Was it really perfect…? Would it ever really be perfect?

Carefully, she raised a finger to run over the blemishes, a pang of something like quiet discomfort washing over her. Eighteen…nineteen…twenty…at least twenty human lives taken for their cause, she reflected. If not more. Her rifle wouldn't look the same without those scratches carved into them, and yet…she forced herself to remember those lives she took. People with lives, families, children. People no different from her.

The door to her private quarters swung open that moment, jolting her out of her thoughts before they took too somber a turn. A young girl of about ten or so ran in, her knee-length dress swishing about her legs as she half-skipped toward her mother. Ana smiled and put aside her gun just in time to have the girl jump into her lap, enveloping her into a hug.

"Fareeha, my daughter," she began with a chuckle under her breath. The girl looked up at her, her black hair falling messily around her face. Blue, green, and red paint dotted the child's cheeks, although she could still see the youthful pink shining through her features. "I thought I told Reinhardt to watch you today."

"Yes, Mommy." Fareeha replied, nodding. "But he told me today was special! That today we're supposed'ta bring you presents!" She adjusted herself in her mother's lap, holding up her other hand that held a slightly crumpled piece of paper. Ana chuckled again – Fareeha never could be delicate about anything. On the paper was a relatively crude drawing of Ana and her daughter together with the words "Ich liebe dich Mom" written in bright green paint across the top and the bottom.

"Look, Mommy! Reinhardt even taught me how to write 'I love you' in German! And here's Jack, Gabe, and Angela and Reinhardt and…" Fareeha continued on while Ana's eyes scanned over the drawing. She noticed quite a few stick figures standing awkwardly off to the sides of her and her daughter, unmistakably the other members of their squadron. Blonde-haired Morrison…ah, there was Gabriel in the back with the black beanie…and Reinhardt, well he was…

"Yes, Captain," a voice boomed from the door, causing the woman to glance upward with mild surprise. It was a wonder that she'd missed him when they came in – Reinhardt Wilhelm was one hulk of a man – but he was just crouching underneath the doorframe to enter the room as well. "After we painted, she said she must show you now, so here we are. Isn't that right, fraulein?" He hummed a laugh as he made his way to a chair in front of a small desk. Fareeha nodded happily in affirmation.

"Do you like it, Mommy?" The girl chimed in, holding it up proudly and absolutely beaming. Her mother cracked a smile and nodded, running a hand through her daughter's hair and taking her face into her hands.

"You have done very well, Fareeha. I love it. Perhaps you will be a famous artist one day."

She could see Fareeha's eyes glint with mischief at she conjured a response.

"Perhaps I will be a famous member of Overwatch one day too."

Reinhardt let out a snicker at the comment while Ana couldn't help but roll her eyes. Rebellious youth.

"Why don't you go show everyone." She changed the subject, which immediately made her daughter begin to pout as she climbed down from her seat. "I'm sure they would all be happy to see your picture."

Fareeha folded her arms and huffed, puffing out her chest slightly and taking a wide stance. "I want to join Overwatch and be like you, Mommy!" The little girl stamped a foot on the ground for emphasis.

Her mother sneered before gesturing to the door. "Go."

The young girl turned with her picture and stepped to the door, lingering for a moment with a hand on the doorknob. Ana's breath caught for a moment, wondering if her daughter was going to press the issue, when she saw Fareeha glance back and say "Happy Valentine's Day, Mommy." before smiling and walking casually out the door and into the hall.

Happy Valentine's Day.

The woman's ears perked at the phrase. It had been so long since she had heard those words – ten years, at least. The thought didn't even cross her mind until just now. Was it February already? How many Valentine's Days had she missed?

Ana slouched from her stiff stance, slightly confused, slightly lost in thought. But it was one clear of the throat from Reinhardt, still in the room, to bring her back to Earth.

"Ana…!" he cooed softly, leaning forward in his chair. Ana could feel the hair bristle on the back of her neck. "My, you definitely seem checked out today."

Ana pretended to be unaffected by her co-worker's observation, opting instead to readjust herself on her bed and lean back on her hands.

"And how did my Fareeha come to know about Valentine's Day? Certainly, I have never told her – working here has kept me far from that holiday for years." she spoke quietly, looking sidelong at Reinhardt and conjuring a wry smile. The large man flushed a slight pink color while taking a giant hand to run his fingers through his dirty blonde locks.

"It has been a well-celebrated holiday in Germany for as long as I can remember," her company explained while he rested his elbows on his knees. "My mother was always baking all kinds of sweets for us to take to our classmates – it was quite a tradition. And when I had to travel this afternoon from the Watchpoint to grab some supplies for baking, Fareeha – she asked what the occasion might be."

"Wilhelm!" She exclaimed, her eyes aglow with the same mischief that rose from her daughter not moments ago. "You bake?"

Reinhardt laughed haughtily. "As I said – in my family, it is tradition."

An equal parts comfortable and awkward silence stretched between them as the two Overwatch operatives remained quiet in each other's company, glancing at each other one moment and losing the gaze the next.

"Valentine's Day is for lovers," Ana spoke up after a short while, although she immediately regretted the words as they came out. Now the air was definitely awkward. Reinhardt blanched instantaneously, glancing away to peer out the glass doors that opened to her private balcony overlooking the ocean.

"…Perhaps…" he half-murmured, wringing his hands nervously as his muscles tensed slightly under the black t-shirt that clung to his skin. He sounded like he was going to speak again, but she wasn't sure if or when that would be the case.

The silence settled into place again.

"So, did you ever give your mother's cookies as gifts to a sweetheart?"

She had intended the question to come out teasing, so she wasn't sure why she'd asked him so airily. She could make out the faraway look in his good eye as he opened his mouth to speak, but his words hitched slightly before anything could come out. He looked down, almost painfully, but then heaved a sigh.

"Wil –?" she started, concern lacing her tone.

"This is going to sound…very strange." He interrupted with a slight chuckle, looking up at her. His furry eyebrows almost obscured their line of sight, which Ana wasn't sure if she minded or not. "But I never could muster up the courage."

Ana wanted to snicker at that. To tell Reinhardt how ironic it was that this lion of a man who charged headstrong into battle every single time she'd seen him, who'd come back beaten and bruised but still smiling and still laughing, who any woman should and would feel blessed to be with, had qualms about being in love.

But she remained stoic. After all, she wasn't…the most romantic person in the world, either.

His snap to attention almost startled her. His head whipped back into position and he near absent-mindedly reached for a small brown box behind him. The box was foreign to her – he must have brought it in with him without her noticing. Reinhardt slowly rose from his chair – did she seem him tremble? No, it had to have been a trick of her mind – and came to sit beside her on her bed.

"But…perhaps now would be as good a time as any to overcome childhood fears." He said, extending the box to her. Her eyes glanced between the man and the box, a bit taken aback at how sharp a turn the conversation had taken. She carefully took the box into her hands, holding it delicately between her fingers and palming it ever so lightly as to not disgrace the gift given to her.

Just knowing that Reinhardt had thought of her on Valentine's Day made her pulse feel thick and heavy for a moment before she was able to regain herself and lean in Reinhardt's direction.

"Ah, you mean to tell me that Reinhardt Wilhelm, crusader known and loved the world around, has graced me with some Valentine's Day cookies that he baked with my daughter? My, what a family man you turned out to be." She crooned out the side of her mouth, and she almost caught the dazed expression that had washed over him as he took in her playful jab. A smile made its way to his face and he simply placed a large hand over top of both of hers.

"In time, there will be pfeffernüsse. Open it." He nodded, and she trusted the confidence in his voice as much as she did the curiosity brewing within her.

Slowly and carefully she flipped open the top, to reveal an ornately-painted teacup, complete with saucer. Daintily, the sniper raised it from the box, admiring the hot pink floral pattern that decorated the outside. She could feel her mouth fall slightly agape as one lithe finger traced the gold-flecked rim of the cup, astounded at its understated beauty.

"…How charming…" she breathed. "And you got this…for me?"

When her eyes fell upon him, she could feel him withdraw for a moment, obviously terribly nervous but also terribly excited. He raised a hand to comb through his blonde beard, hoping it would ease some of the tension.

"Ah, well. Yes. Just this morning, actually. Fareeha and I –"

"You devil of a man! You had my daughter in on this?" She couldn't help but playfully slap him on the shoulder, which caused him to relax quite a bit. Soon his raucous laughter was filling the room.

"You'll have to forgive me, Ana – she was the one who helped me to pick it out. I had my heart set on another, but she pointed me to this one and I…I simply knew."

"Did she now."

Heat rose and pleasantly flowed through her at the mention of that, and, without her notice, she welcomed it. For someone so shy about the uncertainty of romance, Reinhardt sure did know how to flatter someone.

A balmy type of stillness hung between them for quite a while, almost as if they had been encapsulated into a bubble that the rest of the world was closed off from. Even with no tea in the cup, the gift created thoughts and feelings that Ana wasn't sure she was willing to explore. They were co-workers, squadmates, friends, but…she felt so full of emotion, full of some kind of freedom that she hadn't let herself have, well…since she helped to create Overwatch. And it felt rather good, being beside him like this. Comfortable, even.

"Do…you like it, maus?" his voice turned up at the end of the question, a tad vulnerable. She looked up to lock eyes with the man, and without even thinking, her mouth stretched into a warm, genuine smile.

"I am in love with it, I think." She responded before the smallest snicker ghosted itself upon her lips. "Thank you."

He stifled a laugh himself.

"Good. Happy Valentine's Day, Ana."

And the grin that lit his features was so kind, so real, so genuine that she thought herself ready to drop the cup. Hastily, she placed it back into the box and rested it beside her rifle, where it was very much out of the way, and could be washed and possibly enjoy the company of some chamomile later.

"I…didn't think to get you a gift." She admitted, turning in his direction and folding her hands in her lap. "I am sorry, Reinhardt."

Reinhardt looked wistful for a moment, but then abruptly shook his head, assuring her that he never expected anything from her, and that it was supposed to be a nice surprise.

"It is my gift to you, Ana. I hope it will serve you well." He finished, placing a hand on her knee in reassurance.

Suddenly, a thought sprung to her mind. Perhaps it was the bubbly, giddy air around them both clouding her mind, or maybe it was the warm sensation that kept poking at her insides, but the thought almost felt right, and with every passing moment, the urge to do it grew stronger within her. No amount of mild suppression would bring about the termination of the thought that in this moment, Ana Amari wanted very badly to kiss Reinhardt.

"I…want to repay you somehow." She managed, scooting forward a bit. She was giving into herself a little, but my, was she bad at this.

"Ana, maus, as I said, you don't have to –"

"No, Reinhardt. I want to."

Reinhardt's body stiffened in that moment, paling a few shades as she continued to advance toward him until their faces were only centimeters from touching. She could hear his breaths quicken to a fever pitch, and realized that he was just as telling as she was. Nervous. Unsure.

What was she doing?

Before she could stop to second guess herself, Ana reached up and joined her lips with his. The musky scent of his beard tickled her nose, and she couldn't help but let a girlish giggle escape into his mouth. Before either of them knew it, she had lifted her long slender fingers to tie knots into his unruly blonde hair, and he held onto her with such need, such passion that it was almost as if he didn't, she'd cease to exist. Without much thought, she leaned forward against him, pressing her chest against his to feel the man's heart pound wildly against his ribcage beneath. The faintly bitter taste of his mouth reminded her of her favorite cup of oolong after a stressful day, and she knew that she'd never be able to drink that tea again without thinking of this moment.

Somehow that seemed…pretty okay.

But, hell, did this feel good. Strange emotions, ones she wasn't aware she'd still had smoldered within her, stirring around her stomach and robbing her of more rational thought as each second passed. Ever so minutely, Ana tilted her head, and Reinhardt pushed back, leaning into her with the same dizzying amount of fervor that she had.

But it wasn't to last.

A gentle pair of footsteps and a sing-song rendition of the word "Pfeffernüsse!" coming from down the hall ripped them apart as Fareeha returned into the room, grinning all the while.

Luckily, she was too wound up to suspect something from the two interrupted adults breathlessly watching her on the other side of the room.

"Reinhardt, can I have some of the pfeffernüsse we made? Please?" she questioned, attempting to put on her cutest face. Tough as he was, the crusader was a sucker for her daughter's adorable mannerisms.

Reinhardt, taking a moment to run his tongue along his slightly kiss-swollen bottom lip, turned the corners of his mouth up into a smirk.

"Only if it's okay with Mama, Fareeha." He responded.

The girl's pleading eyes turned to her mother, taking a moment to stand herself on her tippy-toes and fold her small hands in front of her.

Ana laughed a little, taking a moment to settle her pulse while running her hands through her hair, hopefully to make it appear less messy.

"Go downstairs, we'll be down in a minute."

Fareeha was gone before Ana could even finish the sentence, yelling "YAY, COOKIES!" at the top of her lungs.

The moment was gone, she knew, but that didn't stop her from turning again to Reinhardt once they were all alone. He still looked a little winded, as if he had only dreamed of the repayment he received for his small gesture. His expression held so much emotion, so much that he wanted and needed to say to her, and she knew that it would come bursting forth any moment.

But Ana needed time to reflect on her mistakes. If, in fact, this was one.

"Maus…" His voice, gravelly and low, came then, barely above a whisper. He leaned in closely, reaching for her face and holding his hand to gently stroke his fingers through her hair.

Luckily, before he could say much more, Ana was able to raise a finger to his lips, stopping him in his tracks.

"Asad," she started, softy. "I think you and I could really use some pfeffernüsse."

His eyes begged her to reconsider but a raise of her eyebrow was all she needed to silence him on the subject. With that, she slowly rose from the bed, smiling as Reinhardt followed suit before handing her the small box that was seated next to her rifle.

"Pfeffernüsse is a tea cookie, you know." He mentioned as he stood aside for her to exit the room.

"That's good to hear." She replied, looking at her companion out of the corner of her cybernetic eye. "Because I feel a strong desire for a good oolong right now."


End file.
